And, Weve been using it for a while now and theres so far, no quality-related issues. I kept my WSM in the garage when it wasnt in use and dreaded the thought of moving it back and forth to my driveway. Copyright 2022 Island Outdoor, LLC. They lasted @ 2 years. I can get 15 hours of Low and Slow from 8 pounds of charcoal on a Bronco. Aside from the over-all weight of it, and smoking depth, there is nothing that I really dislike about this grill. The beauty of a UDS was that for $100 you could build a UDS with long burn times and quality smoke. Im very impressed by its performance. Or, a rack of ribs and a couple of pork butts. Looking down at the empty charcoal basket on top of the ash pan. Well priced and easy to use with delicious results a drum smoker is a great choice. In short, I want to give you the best information possible but do not care whether you buy one of these or not. The charcoal basket is a porcelain ring with grates on the bottom, ensuring steady airflow. Customer service will send me a correct tube, I hope it arrives and I update my comment. Once the setup is there, you can grill anything and do a great job of it. Theres 3 hanging rods included plus 9 hooks (3 for each). I recently got this smoker for Christmas after using my little Webber kettle as a smoker this was a big step up from that when I was living with my parents I was using the offset smoker my dad and I had built. I cooked two slabs of babybacks and a brisket Dec 7th and the outcome was phenomenal. Tried this one out. For help identifying model number, please contact Customer Service at 800-318-7744. Watch the video below for a full walk-through. Im not a professional pit master, but Im very good at eating. We are committed to developing the most innovative products of the highest quality. The only thing I figured is it sits directly on top of the existing Bronco heat deflector. The WSM offers amazing temperature control and is what I used to learn to barbecue. After a couple of decades of huge success in competition and in growing popularity, OKJ was bought by competitor, Char-Broil. The first thing that impressed me was the packaging. With any new smoker, itll take you a few smokes to work out how to use it best. They turned out very well! It is a drum smoker. Smoky flavor? The Bronco delivers in that area too, no aftermarket gasket needed. Sure, it is nice that the control is located so that you don't have to bend over to adjust the heat. The rods are moveable too so youve got a bit of flexiblity to shuffle them around where you want if youre doing a mix of ribs and larger cuts too. Please. They had trouble getting the smoker to get up to temperature, they were severely overshooting temperatures and running out of charcoal. With an MSRP of $299 the Original 18 inch Bronco is worth every penny. But it is more than just a matter of convenience. This replicates old-school smokehouses which hung meat in the smoke. But, buying one in the firstRead More Pit Boss K22 Review: Is This Cheaper Kamado Any Good? Q. Whats the difference between the Bronco and Bronco Pro? We use lump in it most of the time. OKJ recommend using briquettes because they burn more steadily. You can use the Bronco as a traditional smoker, as a charcoal grill or to hang and smoke ribs and chicken from the three stainless steel meat hanging rods. This smokes way better than the electric smoker, grills the same as the weber. Great for all meats. I recommend this smoker for beginners all the way to pitmasters. Wish I had a way to get more charcoal in without the hassle. Brinkmans are more expensive now. The first thing I noticed was there was no opening to add more charcoal to retain and keep a consistent heat. 70 Series Pro Double Hung White Vinyl Insulated Window, Shop Paintable/Stainable Low-E Glass Vented Skylights, Shop Home Decorators Collection CARB Compliant, Ralph Lauren Home Decorators Collection Shaw, Shop Track Bracket ClosetMaid Shelving Brackets, Airflow control system & sealed lid allows temperature management, Convertible smoker grill combo with cooking grate & meat hangers, Oversized charcoal basket holds fuel for 10 hours of smoking. The top grate can sometimes slide around but that is really the only con to this smoker. That buffer makes for more even and steady cooking temperatures. because outdoor cooking has a ton of variables. Here is a video that shows how I set up the Bronco for low temperature smoking. Is it supposed to remain open or closed? Or, load it to the max using the 9 stainless steel hooks that are included. This smoker is a drum smoker, and drum smokers have been a proven design for years. The Bronco is ideal for anyone whos looking for: If those things are you, the Bronco is a great all-round barbecue. Organize your charcoal like dominoes and add 3-4 chunks of wood when smoking meat. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Strong and smoky as youd expect from a charcoal smoker. Jot us a note and well get back to you as quickly as possible. I did a LOT of research. The center of the bottom of the drum had a removable cap that serves as the drain. You need a baffle to even out the heat. The inability to easily add more charcoal during a cook seemed to be the biggest complaint. You have to use gaskets and high temperature caulk to seal up all of the leaks. Happy owner. And, theres heavier duty skewers that are designed for smoking whole turkeys. You can either keep the diffuser in its down configuration that you use while smoking or flip it over to get the charcoal closer to the cooking grate. The Bronco has great performance and is less expensive than two other comparable cookers, the 18 inch Pit Barrel Cooker and the 18.5 inch Weber Smokey Mountain. hole, Complete KIT K-58 LRG Slam Latch Gravity Insulated Cabinet Parts, Complete SMALL Slam Latch Gravity Insulated Cabinet Parts Kit, Weld On Butt Hinge 6 in x 3 in smoker pit door parts. Grilling is where the Bronco really shines over the competition because nothing is compromised with the grill setup. The heat deflector is removable if you want to cook directly above live coals. 1 people already voted for this question. The Bronco comes with the classic Oklahoma Joe's wagon wheels. While there are many differences between the PBC and the Bronco the largest has to do with air/temperature control. The Oklahoma Joe company was founded by Joe Davidsonin 1987 when he brought affordable offset smokers to the market. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Back then, they were mostly homemade models made out of used 55-gallon drums affectionately called UDS or Ugly Drum Smokers. I waited a lil over a month after purchase to write this Review , I love this Smoker/Grill its fantastic , easy to control youre heat for smokin , easy to convert to grilling ! The WSM has three daisy wheel dampers across the circumference of the base with each damper allowing air into three holes (9 air inlet holes total). But, when youre smoking, youre not limited to using the grate. This is an unfair advantage for the WSM because it has been around for so long and the collective knowledge base is deep. It also gives a lot more room. The brackets are for a series of meat hangers instead of using the grates. I am ordering this. It took me less than an hour. Definitely. This article is meant to help you figure out the important features and benefits of the Bronco drum smoker. The tube size and length is calculated and designed to provide the optimum draw, ensuring proper airflow. [FTC Standard Disclosure] I received an Oklahoma Joe Bronco as part of a paid project I worked on; however, this project was entirely unrelated for Nibble Me This. The aggravation of moving the WSM is one of the reasons I stopped using mine. Overall the smoker is amazing I love it highly satisfied so far after watching several YouTube reviews and videos on it I settled for it and Im glad I got it great product. Until I bought this smoker the only smoking I had done was in a small metal box on my stove top. Did you notice the three notched brackets? Unboxing I was very impressed by the quality of the product. Reduces flare ups, evens temps, allows for easier temp control, eliminates hot spots, burnt ends & allow for quicker starts. The temperature gauge reads fairly accurately. In contrast, the Bronco is a multi-component cooker that has been designed and engineered to look like a drum. The Bronco holds temperatures rock steady for hours on end and is a very fun grill to use. Simply flip the heat diffuser plate to form a higher base for the charcoal basket and place the grate on the top level supports. I just bought the bronco yesterday. The Bronco has an 18 inch grate that offers 284 square inches of cooking area. The 18 Bronco is easy to use and keeps a fairly steady temperature to turn out delicious smoked meats. So moving along I filled the charcoal box let it heat up. The hinge is sturdy and has no alignment issues. As a thank you, for the videos that we use, we will be giving our reviewers coupons, or FREE ITEMS. Thicker steel and not much to adjust. 2000-2022 Home Depot. You can use the Bronco as a traditional smoker and, if you arrange and light the charcoal correctly, get about 15 hours of Low and Slow burn time from a single load of charcoal. After cooking there would have to be a fourth trip to deal with a large water pan full of grease. The Bronco Pro is larger with a 21.5 rack instead of the standard 18. If you have seen the Rutland gaskets that I have installed on all of my Big Green Eggs, then you know that I am a huge proponent of woven fiber gaskets for smokers. If youre a newbie, the learning curve on the Bronco isnt huge. All Rights Reserved. The user manual says to flip it up but that was not a stable configuration in my cooker. My first purpose made smoker purchase and it rocks!! Again I love this smoker its a great product definitely going to get better with smoking foods with this smoker!! For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Two items really struck me when I looked at the data from the reviews. Smoking a Certified Angus Beef Brand chuck roast on the Bronco. In our opinion, its not a bad warranty period for the price of the smoker. Need Help? 12-14 hours are my smoking time. When I opened the box I noticed several scrapes and dings. I had no experience smoking, with bronco I have made the best ribs for my friends, it is robust and firm, it brings the problem of short air intake, but it was not a problem for cooking, and the thermometer is not accurate, it marks up to 50 degrees less than the real thing, it is necessary to use a good digital thermometer. Moisture content? Assembly took less than an hour. Other than that, if youre storing your Bronco outside, definitely buy a cover to protect it! The cooking grate on the Professional is larger and the charcoal basket will hold twice as much fuel as the Original. 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I adapted a temp controller to the intake and its truly set it and forget it! I have not received any compensation nor have I been asked to promote Oklahoma Joe products on this website or any of my social media channels. The air holes let some of the heat come through to allow for even flow of heat and air. I do not have a single negative thing to say about the PBC. Extremely well built. Check out Oklahoma Joes guide if you want a more detailed process. Easy to put together and didnt take long. Have only grilled with it so far, but wow, better grilling experience than anything else I have used. Ooni Karu 12 Review: Is This Easy Wood-Fired Pizza? Father's day gift. WSM Win #2: There is a large community of friendly WSM owners who love to share their knowledge on how to use and enjoy the WSM to the fullest. Additionally the Bronco has a hinged lid with extra dome clearance like you find on a kamado smoker. Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT (1-800-466-3337), Please enter in your email address in the following format: you@domain.com. Other nice features of the Bronco include a body mounted over sized thermometer, metal side table and classic Oklahoma Joe branding including the wagon wheel tires. In the past few weeks, I have seen pictures of ridiculous close-out prices on the new. The temperature can vary more with lump instead of briquettes but is still easy to control. Subscribe to our free e-newsletter, and get new tips every two weeks. Enough to fit 10 or so burgers. All Rights Reserved. he Highland uses so much fuel hat you need to tend the fire every 45 minutes. This sits on the fire ring. I honestly feel like I just bought another BBQer that I didnt need. However, there are a few things I want to mention before we get into this guide just to let you know where I stand with this smoker. The Bronco is offered in two models, Original and Professional, with the primary difference being size and cost. I appreciate the follow up! My only complaint would be I bought an orange one and its already stained on the out side from fat that dripped down and there is no way to add more wood when smoking for long periods of time. Went with the Webber with all the vents. Putting in my pork butt and keeping a close eye on the temp gage. Well done Oklahoma Joes!! You want to leave the Bronco going for about 2-3 hours at 275-300F. These two smokers are about the same size, cost about the same and both turn out amazing barbecue. As soon as you buy a Highland you have to start modifying it to get it to work like it should. Skip to the beginning of the images gallery. How much control do you have over the temperature? The Bronco is a well designed, non traditional drum smoker. Search results for: 'FireDial Heat Diffuser Plate Parts for Oklahoma Joe's Bronco Drum Cooker by LavaLock'. The assembly of the Bronco took less than 30 minutes at a leisurely pace. Read more on the lump charcoal vs briquette debate. Bought it last weekend. You can get 2-3 racks of ribs on an 18" grate, but you can fit 9 racks of ribs using the hangers. Its also got a larger fuel basket that can smoke up to 15 hours over the 10 hours of the Bronco. Looks cool! The Oklahoma Joe Bronco fits an 18 grate across. No, its not the best quality out there. So easy to use. Started off withe the $39.99 brinkmanship smoker. If you do not get the Bronco loaded and lit correctly then you will be out of charcoal in six hours and will have to take everything out and start with a fresh load of coals. OKJ have added quality where its most important (gasket, porcelain-coated heat deflector, stainless steel hooks, thick rubber handle) and saved costs where they could (basic paint finish with raw interior). Stepping things up a notch, Oklahoma Joe have taken the basic drum smoker and added features to give you temperature control and versatility. But, if you want to smoke a lot, the Bronco also comes with stainless steel hooks so you can hang meat too. Here is a video I put together of my full hands on review of this cooker. Smoking on the OKJ Bronco is really all-round great. This is, The Original has 81% 5 Star and 12% 4 Star reviews for an, The Professional has 85% 5 Star and 11% 4 Star reviews for an, For the same price of a Bronco you could also get an. but i love it. You have to remove everything to put in new charcoal light it and let it get to a smoking heat again. The one issue was the intake tube for the fire not being put together right but with a little grinding and welding I fixed it and put it on the proper way so it sealed all the way. To do so youre going to coat it with a fine spray of high-heat oil like canola. We then use ours to vacuum any stray ashes out of the bottom of the drum. It isn't as simple as saying "To cook at 250, set the intake at 1 and the exhaust at 2." Both air vents have movable covers with calibration marks that let you dial in a temperature. Absolutely love this smoker. Overall, the quality of the Bronco is better than Id expect for its price. Thank you for a Great Product!! Local store prices may vary from those displayed. The tube on the side is the air intake. The ash pan is porcelain coated metal and rests beneath the charcoal basket. They promise a lot with precision control, versatile smoking and a grill setup too. Cooking capacity:284 square inches or 9 hooks, Assembled size (in): 30 W x 43 H x 25 D. If youve been eyeing up an Ooni for a while now, let me tell you straight up, youre onto something GOOD! The smoker is awesome Im going to hang a rack of ribs on it sometime in the next day or two to try it out before I invite some friends over and smoke multiple racks. One way of cooking on a Bronco that some people love is to use the three stainless steel rods and assorted hooks to hang ribs and chickens vertically in the cooker. It also comes with the small but handy side table. Now theres 2 versions of the Oklahoma Joe Bronco; the standard and the Bronco Pro. https://bbqsmokermods.com/firedialtm-heat-diffuser-plate-parts-for-oklahoma-joe-s-bronco-drum-cooker-by-lavalockr.html. But that's not the only option for cooking set ups. Thanks, Richard! The idea behind a PBC is you build your fire, hang your meat and walk away. With it, theyve brought the Bronco Drum Smoker to the market, improving on the standard drum smoker style to give users control and even more versatility out of this popular, space-saving design. Ive been smoking for years besides my custom built trailer smoker this is by far the best back yard smoker Ive ever owned. It sounds like the Pro is more advanced than the other but the Pro is just larger. With the larger backing of Char-Broil, the Oklahoma Joe brand has been able to continue innovating and developing their range. The Bronco is a multi-functional cooker that can be used three different ways. Scrape down the grate if youve used that and give the heat diffuser a wipe down too. We answer these questions and more to help you decide if the Broncos going to be sitting in your backyard soon. While the total number of reviews was low (less than 200 as of January, 2021) they paint a pretty clear picture of user satisfaction and are presented below. The charcoal basket will give you about 10 hours of low and slow before you need to think about adding more fuel. This will make sure you get rid of any unwanted residue left on the smoker from production as well as protecting the interior from rust. The notched handle makes it simple to handle the charcoal basket with the tool that Oklahoma Joe provides with it. The body on the Bronco is comprised of two drum sections that are bolted together. Was everything I expected. You could set up any other wireless meat probe inside the Bronco as well. But, after that youll be away and turning out some great meat. Ideal for cooking a lot of food inRead More Best Drum Smoker: 5 Top Simple + Effective Solutions. Looking forward to trying it as a smoker and learning this different way to smoke. As far as value is concerned there probably is not a better bang for your buck than the 18 inch model. If you can get one for the ridiculous close-out prices I have seen, my recommendation is upgraded to "Heck yes"! Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. Happy owner. Then it was time to try it out. After reading through the limited number of reviews from people who were unhappy with their smoker the following trends emerged. The PBC uses a bottom damper to let in combustion air and four open holes in the top of the barrel to let air out. The Bronco entered Oklahoma Joe's line up of smokers in the past year. My three requirements were precise temperature control, usable for smoking OR grilling, and ease of cleaning. Just like any other charcoal grill, you cant really go wrong. Finally a part to make the Oklahoma Joe's Bronco even better! Here is a video showing how I used the Bronco as a pretty nice charcoal grill. The Bronco can do everything that a PBC can do plus: The 18.5 inch WSM is a great comparison to the 18.5 OKJ Bronco. As far as value is concerned you will be hard pressed to find a better deal than the 18 inch Bronco. x 61.25 in. The Bronco offers precision temperature control, multiple cooking options, easy portability and attractive styling. But the markings will make it quicker to learn the best settings for your use. Can I use lump charcoal in the Bronco? I purchased this online and had it delivered. But, out of the box, I was really impressed by the quality of the Bronco! Thatll give you a modest 284 square inches of grilling space. The combination of tight construction, a sealing lid gasket and an easily regulated air supply makes it extremely easy to set and control temperatures in this smoker. Product Review: Oklahoma Joe's Bronco Drum Smoker. The 30-30 Basket - 10" Round Charcoal Baskets for 30 gallon UDS or OK Joe Bronco, LavaLock Digital Thermometer Universal BBQ Controller Mount for UDS Drumor WSM - DrumTex Collection, Weber Smokey Mountain Lid Hinge & Gasket Mod Kit (WSM) by LavaLock, Flat Mount Push, Smoker door latch toggle clamp - 2 Pk by LavaLock, Stainless Steel Water Pan - Fits ALL Baffle Plates by LavaLock, Chargriller Baffle Tuning Plate by Lavalock (fits most models except duo trio). The original lid for the barrel is fitted with a handle and used as the smoker lid. I just ordered this, got it in the other day and threw it in my Bronco to season it. You can spend a lot of time tweaking those dampers getting your WSM to line out. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Want to advertise, work together or give me a hard time? You can mix and match that grate with the hangers, so you could have a few racks of ribs hanging while you smoke other foods on the grates. I have never been a fan of that technique as invariably the ribs closer to the fire get a little scorched by the time the entire rack is done cooking. Wed love to post your video review to our websites, YouTube Channel, and social media outlets. It is well worh the money. If you want to smoke more, remember theres the larger Bronco Pro too. Maybe I dont no much about smokers. You wond need to refill the charocal or wood. The WSM comes in three sections that I had to carry in three different trips. But, have Oklahoma Joe really nailed adapting a standard drum smoker to all that plus more? This design gives the lower half of the drum double-wall insulation. , always looking forward to using it . You dont mess with vents you just let the meat and fire work their magic. I went out to Wal Mart and found it. I smoked it at 250 degrees for 2 1/2 hours. Best Drum Smoker: 5 Top Simple + Effective Solutions, Porcelain-coated steel grate, charcoal basket and ash pan, Vents give you control over air intake which changes temperature, Oversized charcoal basket allows for about 10 hours of low and slow smoking, Heat diffuser to block flare-ups when smoking, Charcoal basket with ash pan for easy clean-up, Its easy to control and maintain your desired temperature, Great setup for both smoking and grilling, Heat diffuser plate prevents the bottom rib from drying out, Gives you flexibility in what you want to cook and how you cook it, Comes with the ash pan which makes cleaning up faster and easier, Durable build where its really needed stainless steel hooks, porcelain-coated heat diffuser, charcoal basket and ash pan, Itd be nice if exterior was powder or porcelain-coated for extra rust-resistance, Air intake leaks small amounts of grease underneath the drum, More control over the temperature than other drum smokers provide. These two smokers each have a couple of strong points going for them. The Bronco comes with a porcelain coated 18" grate, which is the same size as a standard kettle or kamado grill. Jun 3, 2021. Cover everything including the inside of the lid, racks and the walls. Subscribe to our free e-newsletter, and get new tips every two weeks. This provides a tight seal between the lid and base, eliminating air leaks. Corren Mugica Burning Brisket is reader-supported. The temp was very easy to maintain. The general reasons people love their Bronco smokers include: Once people figured out how to manage their charcoal and work the air vents they were able to easily turn out amazing barbecue. It makes sure that you are using indirect heat. Durable , functional , reliable , consistent!!! I love this smoker!! The base of the lid is fitted with a sealing gasket that sinks into a shallow groove at the top of the drum body. The Bronco is available as either the Original or Professional model. Most drum smokers take a 55 gallon steel barrel and modify it to become a smoker. Heres where Im not impressed by this drum smoker. Other folks didnt like the size of the cooker and were upset that it came with brackets for two cooking grates but only one grate comes with the cooker. You can use the Bronco as a traditional smoker and, if you arrange and light the charcoal correctly, get about 15 hours of Low and Slow burn time from a single load of charcoal. Oklahoma Joes are typically known for having a decent design but a pretty average build. It kept heat well for a BBQer. You can also flip the heat deflector and put the charcoal basket on top of the deflector, converting your smoker into a grill! I get ZERO financial benefit if you buy a smoker. Also ordered the second accessory shelf for more room. Drum smokers have seen a surge in popularity because companies are now offering well-designed and well-built commercial options for those of us who have neither the inclination nor the mechanical ability to build our own. But, follow the maintenance guidelines and it should bring years of good food to your plate. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. After to get all of the mods in place and start cooking you will find the fuel usage to be astronomical. Simple, versatile and not bad quality for the price, the Bronco is a great barbecue for anyone looking for a charcoal-based do-it-all solution. Here are the top contenders. Once its set up, its time to do the burn in. The Pit Barrel Cooker is an affordable 18.5 inch drum smoker that re-ignited the barbecue worlds interest in hanging ribs and chickens over an open fire. Now, unlike the Pit Barrel Cooker, the Bronco isnt set and forget. Huge fan of this Oklahoma Joes Bronco smoker as it holds a bbq range temperature for almost 12 hours. This smoker nails all three. The first item that grabbed my attention is that people really love their Broncos. The Bronco is also the only drum smoker that has wheels which makes moving it around very easy. The second item that grabbed my attention is that the Original had four times as many reviews as the Professional (143 vs 35) indicating that the Original is the more popular model. This makes it easy to wheel the Bronco around as needed. Ive been barbecuing for over 15 years and when I buy a new smoker it usually takes a few burns to get it right. A++++. I love this pony and look for any excuse to get Smokey! But in general, this versatile smoker is highly recommended. You have to extend the smoke exhaust down to grate level. Oklahoma Joes are known to rust if not looked after properly. Weve even used it in not so flash hot weather and it runs pretty smoothly, especially considering theres no insulation. You can also use a wet/dry vacuum to clean them out. You can reach me at [emailprotected], We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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